Wednesday August 16th: Why Poetry Reading

Matthew Zapruder isn’t a Seattle poet, but he edits for Seattle-based Wave Books and he publishes with Port Townsend-based Copper Canyon Press. His newest book is a self-described “impassioned call for a return to reading poetry” titled Why Poetry. While generally demands that people should read poetry are like telling kids to eat broccoli, Zapruder is a brainy and passionate advocate.
Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison St., 622-6400, http://hotelsorrento.com. Free. 21 and over. 7 p.m.

Thursday August 17th: Darkansas Reading

Seattle writer Jarret Middleton’s first novel, An Dantomine Eerly, was a surrealistic book about the death of a poet. His second, Darkansas, is about a country singer who comes home to the Ozarks to attend his twin brother’s wedding. Meanwhile, his father’s ghost lingers over the proceedings and things get really creepy.
Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com . Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Friday August 18th: The Pox Lover Reading

Everyone’s favorite interlocutor, Seattle’s own Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, interviews journalist Anne-Christine d’Adesky about her memoir of lesbian activism and global refugees. Sarah Schulman says the book is “Reminiscent of the luscious lesbian literature of the Parisian past but propelled into the era of AIDS, ACT UP, and the Lesbian Avengers.”
Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com . Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 19th: Fun Home Book Club

Now that all the drama nerds are excited about Fun Home because of the musical that just came to town, it’s important to recall that Alison Bechdel’s first memoir is a complex and beautiful work of literature on its own. Come talk about one of the best comics of the last 20 years with a group of comics fans.
Outsider Comics and Geek Boutique, 223 N. 36th St., 535-8886, http://outsidercomics.com/. Free. All ages. 5 p.m.

Sunday August 20th: Cephalopod Appreciation Society

Monday August 21st: Booze and Lasers: All the Birds in the Sky

We tend to have fewer readings at this time of year, which means it’s time for you to visit some book clubs! This new boozy book discussion group is devoted to appreciating recent sci-fi gems by women and authors of color. Their most recent selection is Charlie Jane Anders’s sci-fi-and-fantasy mashup, All the Birds in the Sky.
Third Place Books Seward Park, 5041 Wilson Ave S, 474-2200, http://thirdplacebooks.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Tuesday August 22nd: Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue Reading

Bree Loewen is the leader of Seattle Mountain Rescue, a volunteer organization that saves the lives of people who get lost in the wilderness. Her memoir about those rescues — successful and not, famous and obscure — builds into a portrait of the region’s outdoor community. Read it while you’re still able to get out to the mountains for a few more weeks.
King County Library, Redmond Branch, 15990 NE 85th St,, 425-885-1861, http://kcls.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.